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The Bristolian

Adult Private Diagnosis Advice

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I've just introduced myself on here tonight. I've had depression on and off for about 20 years, with quite a bit of self-harm and anxiety in there. I recently got hold of my GP notes and the things that jumped out at me in psychiatrist and counsellor reports were the difficulty they had connecting with me and really getting anything out of me, as well as the high levels of anxiety and feelings of isolation that usually caused my depression. The depression has always just been accepted, without really considering what might be behind it.

 

Since splitting up with my husband about 4 years ago I have been mostly off medication, and thought I was coping, even though it was tough - I have children too. I started a new relationship which was going well, but I then became very confused and anxious and finished it. Looking at the GP notes, this was when I stopped the medication. The new partner stayed in touch for a long time, but seems to have given up now. It's only in the last few weeks that it has really occurred to me that my anxiety and confusion is depression, and I am seeing my GP tomorrow. I can now see quite a few other symptoms such as low energy levels, lack of focus, waking up early... too. I'm upset about the relationship that broke up too, and have reacted very dramatically to things like that in the past, so I want to keep it all under control.

 

My immediate goal is to get the current depression and anxiety under control, but I'm pretty convinced I have Aspergers, and have been looking into an assessment for this too. I'm in London, and have seen the Hoffmann Institute can offer a private diagnosis. Has anyone any experience of this, or could they recommend anywhere else?

 

 

The new partner (now old) was very kind and patient, but really had no idea what was going on, and understandably got fed up with it all. I once tried to talk to him about possible depression (although I didn't realise it was that bad then) and he said I should get help. I didn't though, so things just kept going round and round, and I never really committed to him. I've been wondering whether to wait until I'm feeling a bit stronger, and possibly just email him to explain that I have now taken steps to sort out the depression. By then I would be a bit more prepared if he wrote me a kind email but wasn't interested in taking things further.

 

Hope that isn't too garbled.

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Hello, and welcome to the forum.

 

Have you tried to get an NHS assessment at all? It would carry more weight than a private one. That said, it can be very difficult to get an NHS assessment. I eventually went private myself and haven't had many problems with it not being believed, and none where it really mattered. If you can afford to go private then it will certainly be less stressful and much quicker.

 

If (or once) you are being seen by the mental health team, they may be able to refer you for assessment. They are not always very good at spotting ASD and often blame everything on mental health problems, so it doesn't always go smoothly, but it could be a good place to start anyway. However, if you are currently quite unwell with depression or anxiety, it can be very muddled and it might be better to wait until things are more under control.

 

The NAS does have a list of professionals who can assess for ASD, both on the NHS and privately. I will have a dig about on their website and see if I can get the email address for you. Be sure to mention that you are looking for adult assessment. I know there is at least the Maudsley hospital in central london and the Lorna Wing Centre in Bromley.

 

People with Asperger's can have a lot of difficulty recognising emotions, which might be why you did not recognise the depression for so long. The physical symptoms you have now noticed in retrospect could be useful signs to look for in the future.

 

I am the last person to give advice on relationships, so take anything I say with a pinch of salt. However, if you are currently out of touch with your recent partner then the longer you leave it, the less chance there is of him wanting to try again. If you think there is a chance of working things out, then it might be better to make contact sooner rather than later. But I guess you do have to prepare yourself for the possibility that he may not want to try again. Even if it is bad news, then at least you will know where you stand and can start to deal with it, rather than not knowing.

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Thank you for taking the time to reply to this. No, I haven't tried the NHS route. About 5 years I begin to root around a little bit for what might be underneath my depression, and I wondered if I might have bipolar. When I went to see my GP and was then thinking of splitting with my husband, I don't think I actually mentioned bipolar, but I did say I had been thinking of requesting a psychiatric assessment. She just dismissed it instantly, in the same way another GP dismissed my request for an allergy test for my son at one point.

 

That does sound sensible advice about the recent partner and in many ways I would like to contact him straight away. It's just that I'm so often impulsive as well as far too honest for my own good. Also, I'm so backwards and forwards and confused, that I feel I owe it to him now to only get in touch after I've tried to sort myself out a bit.

 

Going back to the assessment bit.... I was offered counselling today, and also given anti-depressants. I don't really want the counselling, but they have put it in the system and said it will take about 8 weeks to come through anyway. Might a counsellor be able to refer me? That was the thought at the back of my mind when the GP suggested it. I said I wasn't sure, but to put it in the system and I would consider it.

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It's often not possible for a GP to refer you directly for assessment anyway. In many areas it has to come from a service like the mental health service. So it may well be a good idea to ask.

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Thank you for the reply. I have to return to the GP in 4 weeks to see how the medication is going, so I'll have a think in the meantime. I won't rush to get a private consultation, as it seems to make sense to consider the NHS route a bit more first.

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